Drew Brees Clarifies Broncos Comeback Rumors, Says He Reached Out After Bo Nix's Ankle Injury

When the Denver Broncos were trying to figure out their quarterback situation going into the AFC Championship Game last season, it was Drew Brees who reached out to them about potentially making a comeback.

Amid some confusion about which side first had interest in a potential union, Brees clarified on the Let's Go podcast (h/t Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio) he initially contacted then-Broncos assistants Pete Carmichael Jr. and Joe Lombardi to pitch the idea of potentially returning in the playoffs after Bo Nix injured his ankle:

"The thought crossed my mind to the point where I got up the next day after — here's the story. So I get the knock [from the Hall of Fame], I get the knock literally on Monday, January 19th. It was the day after the divisional round where the news had come out that Bo Nix had hurt his foot, he was gonna be out. So Jim Porter, who's the president of the Hall of Fame, we're there, we're having this moment. Dan Fouts is telling me I'm in the Hall of Fame. And I look at Jim Porter and said, 'Well, I guess this means I can't go back and play for the Broncos this week.' And he goes, 'Actually, you can do whatever you want.' He said, 'Voting's already been done, you're in, you can do whatever you want.

"And so I'm telling you when I say I like flipped the switch, I flipped the switch. Immediately texted Pete Carmichael and Joe Lombardi, my OC and quarterback coach with the Saints, they were with the Broncos. I said, 'You guys need me this week?' I said, 'I might be able to be ready.' And they're like, 'Are you serious? We'll go down and tell Sean [Payton] right now.' I said, 'Wait, let me get up tomorrow. Let me give this thing a go.' So I got up the next morning and I gave it a go. I had my 13-year-old son catching balls for me in the backyard. And man, it just was not happening with the right side. Left side, inside the 20 I would have been lethal. At least could have gotten them in and out of the right plays. But no, it wasn't going to happen."

There had been some confusion over who initiated the contact between Brees and the Broncos when the story was first reported last week.

Brees told NFL insider Ed Werder on Sept. 15 that Broncos coaches contacted him about potentially playing.

Broncos head coach Sean Payton told reporters later that same day he "never heard anything" about Brees wanting to suit up until well after the fact.

"I just know that I was the odd man out," Payton said. "I never heard anything about it. It never came to anything. I was only told about it later, so I was just like you guys."

Brees and Payton were together for 13 seasons with the New Orleans Saints from 2006 to 2011 and 2013 to 2020. Brees had a 151-94 record with the Saints between the regular season and playoffs, leading the team to a victory in Super Bowl 44.

Brees likely wouldn't have been eligible to play for the Broncos even if he wanted to.

Florio noted Brees remains on the New Orleans Saints' reserve/retired list, and NFL rules require a retired player to return by the Tuesday after Week 13 to be eligible to play.

Since the Saints still maintain Brees' contractual rights on the reserve/retired list, they also would have had to release him to clear the way for him to sign with Denver even if he had been eligible.

The Broncos wound up starting Jarrett Stidham in the AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots. It was Stidham's first career playoff start and first start at any point since Week 18 of the 2023 season.

Stidham finished 17-of-31 for 133 yards with one touchdown, one interception and one lost fumble. The Broncos lost 10-7, marking their lowest point total of the 2025 season.